Total knee replacement

arunyon@hotmail.comarunyon@hotmail.com
edited April 2017 in Home Care Coding General
I'm having conflict with the therapist in the office on how to correctly code a knee replacement... They want to keep adding muscle weakness and abnormal gait as the 2nd and 3rd codes...in a recent class I went to they said to not use those 2 codes...

What's the correct way to code this

Comments

  • apluscodingandqa@gmail.comapluscodingandqa@gmail.com
    edited April 2017
    I don't use Abnormal Gait since the joint replacement is the underlying
    cause. I might use Difficulty in Walking, but not Abnormal Gait. Why
    would they want to use Muscle Weakness? Without an MD diagnosis?
  • cbrunk@totalhh.comcbrunk@totalhh.com
    edited April 2017
    Those are integral to the joint replacement you do not need to code these

    Priscilla Brunk RN, HCS-D
    Corporate Coder
    Cell: 772-284-1185
    Fax: 954-962-2667
  • arunyon@hotmail.comarunyon@hotmail.com
    edited April 2017
    What's the correct way we are suppose to code total knee replacements? I have a therapist in question about the muscle weakness codes and abnormal gait...can you please direct me on the proper coding.

    Thanks
    Amy
  • apluscodingandqa@gmail.comapluscodingandqa@gmail.com
    edited April 2017
    Z47.1 for aftercare of joint replacement. And the Z code for the replaced joint. No need to code muscle weakness or abnormal gait as these are integral to the joint replacement
  • lynn.ayers@kindred.comlynn.ayers@kindred.com
    edited April 2017
    Agree no muscle weakness or abnormal gait when coding joint replacements (unless different origin documented) , integral to a joint replacement.
  • arunyon@hotmail.comarunyon@hotmail.com
    edited April 2017
    So now the question has came up about the M1017 can they use muscle weakness there? It's the question of medical change in the last 14 days...you can't use a "z" code in the section...
  • apluscodingandqa@gmail.comapluscodingandqa@gmail.com
    edited April 2017
    No but the arthritis (or whatever caused pt to need joint replacement) can be used in M1011 and M1017.
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